The Flower and the Rat
by iluvafjk
Summary: Collection of short, series-like drabbles, leading up to the boys' reunion. NezuShi.
1. The Flower

**A/N: Hey guys. This is gonna be short drabbles (mostly, I **_**may**_** do longer ones if I feel like it/the story requires it) of the two boys. It'll never be completed (until the day I lose interest in NO.6, maybe? But I don't think it'll ever happen haha), so I'll keep on posting whenever I get new ideas. And just to let you know, this probably won't be updated regularly, since I don't get ideas regularly either hahaha. Please enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: I wish NO.6 was mine, but no, it belongs to Ms Asano Atsuko.**

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><p>1. The Flower<p>

It was raining. I couldn't help but be reminded of my 12th birthday. That rainy, fateful day.

Every time it rained, I found myself waiting, yearning.

Waiting and yearning for a drenched Rat standing outside my window.

It had been two years since the last time I saw him. Two years full of new beginnings, two years full of recoveries, two years full of regret.

_Why did I let him go?_

_Why didn't I stop him, like he had done with _my_ kiss?_

I slid open my glass window and stepped under the rain.

I couldn't even bring myself to scream, to shout my heart out, as water streamed down my face, rainwater and tears alike.

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><p><strong>AN: Yup, told you they're gonna be **_**short**_** drabbles. Oh and by the way, I'm using the anime ending for this one, since the manga hasn't ended yet (it hasn't, right…?) and I'm still on my way reading the first novel ^^;**

**Thank you for reading and reviews are greatly appreciated! :) **


	2. The Rat

**Disclaimer: If NO.6 had been mine, there'd be much more kiss scenes in the novel & manga & anime. But it's not, since it belongs to Ms Asano Atsuko. Dammit.**

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><p>2. The Rat<p>

It was raining. I couldn't help but be reminded of that similarly raining, fateful day.

Ever since that day, every time it rained, I would unfailingly fall into a deep thought, thinking how my life would've been if I hadn't gotten to his house.

No, it started long before that.

The escape from Moondrop. The Correctional Facility. My getting captured by those _fuckers_.

Usually, I would end my thinking process at that point. But this time, I pondered about it even deeper and the realization dawned like goosebumps on my skin.

It had started even _longer _before that.

The death of my village people. The attack to my village. The formation of that stupid No.6 city.

I could go on forever and recite the history of the world leading to its destruction and thus the construction of the six so-called utopias. It was as if my meeting with the white-haired boy was a destined one, _preordained_.

With that almost-terrifying discovery, I turned my back to the glass window of my small dwelling.

_I think… I've made up my mind._

I padded towards the shelves where my hundreds of old classics sloppily resided, took out a random volume, and threw myself absentmindedly onto the dusty couch.

I began reading, words swarming into my head, unregistered, as the memories of six and two years ago flooded my mind mercilessly, torturing my yearning senses to see, hear, touch, and feel _him_ by my side.

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><p><strong>AN: Yay Nezumi's POV! Which one do you like better, his or Shion's?**

**Once again thanks for reading! Please review and give me inputs, or even suggestions for future topics? :)**


	3. The New Life

**Disclaimer: NO.6 isn't mine.**

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><p>3. The New Life<p>

"Shion!"

I turned around and smiled at a group of friends, one from which had called me just now. They invited me to lunch for tomorrow, which I nodded to naturally. Then I waved and they returned the gesture, before turning around to get into their class.

I headed home. I didn't have any more class for the day—that class my friends were currently attending, I took it last semester, when I had been so _messed up_ that I had purposefully taken more class than what my friends had done, to busy myself, thus preventing my brain from thinking about non-academic stuff.

_Non-academic_, meaning _that guy_.

Of course, who else would I think about every time I went to sleep—well okay, my mother, but that's just normal—wishing that he had been there; whose brilliantly grey eyes would I dream about almost every week, wishing I could gaze into them after these frustrating two years; whose long, slender fingers would I imagine seeing, wishing that they were around my neck, never mind that they were choking me; and whose dark blue hair I wish was tangled between my fingers, the ends of which resting on his broad shoulders—I wonder if he grew it longer over the two years?

I sighed.

After the incident, I had been reunited with my dearest mother, and together with the rest of the surviving citizens of the formerly-utopian city of No. 6 had initiated reconstruction. It had been a slow and painful process, especially to remove the imaginary wall between the insiders and the outsiders of the now-history separating wall.

The outsiders had been too used to living in constant danger, that they hadn't exactly very trusting of the extended hands of the insiders who invited them to rebuild the city, together. Similarly, some of the paranoid insiders had been too used to living in constant security, that they had considered the outsiders as highly possible threat to their perfectly ordered life. Nevertheless, the new City Council had been elected, who somehow managed to keep the two parties at ease, and reconstruction had been going relatively well these past two years.

I, too, had been doing my best to rebuild my life with my mother, not to the elite, first-class life we had had six years ago, but the modest, comfortable we had found two years ago. It had been quite great; I had entered university to do the degree I had been focusing on ever since I was ten—Ecology, of course—and mother had reopened her bakery. We didn't stay in our home in the Lost Town, though. The new City Council had offered us residence in our former home inside Chronos, to which we accepted. Nevertheless, we didn't enjoy the same first-class treatment we once enjoyed. No one did. There wasn't any more excessive welfare system where only the elites had been eligible for—everyone had access to it, now.

But that wasn't my main focus.

What I had been feeling these past two years—apart from pride of having rebuilt and reordered my messed up life pre-incident at the Correctional Facility—was embarrassment.

I thought I was strong enough without him.

That had been the too-proud thought that I had when I let him go, without even asking for his reason.

I thought wrong.

I had been living these two years with perfectly-practiced 'real' smile, 'real' happiness and contentment, and I was pretty sure I had done a good job. I had gained new friends in university, a lot of whom were older than me. I had excelled in my subjects, an achievement which would most likely earn a sneer from the grey-eyed guy I missed _so much_—_"As expected from the _super elite_, eh?"_ —, whom I had let go so easily.

Without me realizing it, I had reached my house. It happened very often, that I lost track of where my legs were taking me and how they managed to avoid any bodily disaster that could happen with my brain not even registering what I was looking at or hearing throughout the journey home.

I sighed.

_Where are you?_

I entered the house, the door sliding close silently behind me.

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><p><strong>AN:** **Ugh, too much angst in this one. Won't happen again after the next chapter (you could pretty much guess what I'm gonna write for the next one, don't you? Haha).**

**Reviews are greatly welcome! :)**

**0212 iluvafjk**


	4. The New Resolve

**Disclaimer: NO.6 isn't mine and will never be. *sobs***

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><p>4. The New Resolve<p>

I ambled aimlessly through the street, ensuring that I didn't bump into other people, with how unfocussed my eyes were and distracted my mind was. I could say I blended in pretty well with the crowd around me, though I guess my trousers were too shabby for this new city.

The sky was of a dull colour, the air was cool yet heavy. The people around me were mostly striding rather hurriedly, I guessed because it was right after working hours and they wanted to go home, to the people who were waiting for them.

After that incident two years ago, life crawled back to normal for everybody. Well, okay, I guess normal was an understatement, because it was close to massive change within—and outside—the city of No. 6.

Oh yes, the city is still called No. 6. The only difference was that now there was no more distinction between Chronos, Lost Town and also the four Districts surrounding it were now included in the city area. _No more distinction _was in terms of the treatment the people living in the different areas receive. Which was great, I thought, because it was exactly what _he_ had desired. _He_ had almost lost his life achieving that goal, and I applaud him for managing to destroy the wall —indirectly, since technically it hadn't been him who had done it—, while at the same time doubting if the destruction of the wall would really result in the condition that was currently taking shape, slowly yet surely.

Yes, that meant I was the loser at this bet.

Nevertheless, I felt a sense of pride in knowing that this realized dream was once _his_.

I sighed.

_Am I really doing the right thing? Will I really be happy this way?_

In my defense, this wasn't No. 6 that I had wanted to crush, anymore. I approved of this evolved city, and even though I still lived outside of the former No. 6 wall, I _did_ go inside what used to be exclusively No. 6 without any feeling of grudge or discontent. In essence, my goal had been achieved, too.

But then…

_Will _he _really be happy this way?_

This scared me more than the previous question. What if, what if he didn't want me back?

What if my return brings him more pain than happiness?

I would be lying if I say I didn't observe him these past two years. I'd been monitoring his new life—how he had moved to his old home when I had met him the very first time, how he had entered university, how his mother had reopened her bakery at their home—and my observation had showed that he had been _enjoying_ this new-found life.

To the outside eyes, what I could see was that he had found again what used to be his life before I had rescued him to the West District. I had seen him mingle with his new friends, pursue what he had been designed to do, and excel at it, too.

_I didn't want to disrupt the equilibrium that he had struggled to achieve._

But I was a selfish person. I couldn't stand to suffer every single day, at not being able to feel his presence next to me, while he could smile and laugh together with his damned _new friends_.

I almost stomped my foot in frustration.

I raked my fingers through my untied hair. Yes, I had kept it long, but I didn't usually tie it up when I was out in the city. I didn't want _a certain someone_ noticing me, walking around so near to where he was living, so easily. I didn't cut my hair either, contradictorily, hoping that _a certain someone_ would by chance notice me, if he happened to see me walking around so near to where he was living.

_Ironic, huh?_

What a messed up life I'd been living after that stormy night six years ago.

Now, I lied about the ambling 'aimlessly' part earlier. I had a destination in my head. It was just that I wasn't one hundred percent sure that I wouldn't regret going to that place. I knew after I got there, there would be no turning back. Honestly, I had no idea—and honestly, I was _scared_ to foretell—what was going to happen once I was there.

This was a plainly selfish whim of mine, and I had obeyed to it, thanks to this stupid _emotion_.

As I trudged up the deserted road I once travelled six years ago, it started to rain.

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><p><strong>AN: Another angsty chapter. I hope the next one won't be, though I couldn't promise hahaha thank you for reading and I look forward to reading your reviews! :)**

**0212 iluvafjk**


	5. The End of

**A/N: now hold your horses. This is NOT the end of this story. As I have mentioned in the very first chapter, this story will not have an ending, as long as I still have the urge to write about these two lovely boys who are deeply in love (yes they do, not even the original author could say that they don't) with each other. Okay, let me stop my rant here before I bore you out without even reading the story. Please enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: Ms Asano Atsuko still owns NO.6, not me (yet).**

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><p>5. The End of<p>

Shion was lying down on his bed, unmoving, while staring blankly at the ceiling—like he always did whenever it was raining. He felt most depressed on days like this, when the sky was dark and the rain was pouring heavily, as if mirroring how his heart would look like.

The reason was obvious: it unfailingly reminded him of his twelfth birthday, and he wasn't sure he liked it. That day had been a wonderful day for him—he had met the person who had later on became one of a significant importance to him. Nevertheless, it had also been a painful reminder of how he had lost him once again, and how he had been living a make-happy life, where he appear to be smiling outside—even to his mother, to assure her that he _was_ happy to be back living together with her, and it wasn't an entirely fake emotion, really—even though inside, he felt like ditching what he had right now and run after that stupid pony-tailed idiot.

At times he felt so pathetic that he would end up throwing silent, one-sided tantrum towards the grey-eyed boy, in his defense that _hey, I wouldn't be this pathetic if he hadn't left._

Sighing, he straightened up and sat at the edge of his fluffy bed. _He lied here once. I was pinned onto this bed by him, once. If that hadn't been a spoon, I would've died on this bed, that night._

Raking a hand through his snow white hair, he stood up and walked down the stairs towards the lower portion of his bedroom. He felt like screaming.

So he did that. He pressed the button on the wall to open the glass window, and rainwater came showering into his room. He didn't give a damn.

Stepping out to the balcony, he gripped at the railing and breathed hard, the downpour making it hard to keep his eyes opened. He inhaled deeply, and let out a loud yell, louder than the first time he yelled on that very balcony six years ago.

This wasn't the first time he yelled his lungs out within the two empty years. Oh, he had done it numerous times. And every time he did it, he had a hope: that a certain boy would appear outside his window. He didn't care if the boy might be injured, he would mend him up like he had done it the last time. What mattered was that he was _here_.

He would stand there, unmoving—waiting—under the stormy sky, every single time it rained like this. Every time, he would wait for hours, even, until the rain subsided, and with heavy, clenched heart, he would turn around and go back into his room, taking a hot shower to snap his brain out to reality: that he _wasn't_ here.

Interestingly, though, this time, he could've sworn he heard something from below the balcony. He almost missed it, under the roaring thunder and the deafening monsoon, but he picked up a sound, so soft, but it sounded so loud—a sound he couldn't ever forget—in his ears.

_Heh._

He heard a faint laugh beyond the railing in front of him. Instinctively—hurriedly—he leaned over the railing, and at the sight that greeted him, without a second thought, without even considering his safety, he hurdled over the metal bar, to what had anxiously awaited him down there.

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><p><strong>AN: I didn't even plan to write this out one hour ago and here it is. I guess it's still angsty, huh? Sorry! The next chapter, or the next next one won't!**

**By the way I took bits of the second-last paragraph from the novel. Just to let you know. [insert mysterious smirk here]**

**To be honest I had quite some fun coming up with the title. ****The full title would be 'The End of …' and I'm pretty sure you guys would be able to fill in the blanks for yourselves after reading the chapter, or please write your guess in the review? I'd love to see what comes up in your mind, if it's the same as or different to what I originally thought of :)**

**0212 iluvafjk**


	6. The Beginning of

**Disclaimer: NO.6 isn't mine.**

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><p>6. The Beginning of<p>

Nezumi had gotten inside the compound of the white-haired boy's house, and now he was waiting. For what, he didn't know.

It was raining, just like _that day_ six years ago.

_Heh_, he snorted quietly, _is this a sign that I'm doing the right thing?_

Now he didn't know what to do. Should he knock on the front door? Should he climb up the balcony and wait outside the window, and let the other boy decide if he wanted _him_ back, allowing him to choose to open or keep his window closed?

He scowled, not liking the idea of giving him a choice—because he didn't want him to choose, dammit, he wanted him to come out and accept him like he had done on that first meeting! But then again, he had let him go two years ago, and _why would he let me go if he _did_ want me?_

That thought almost urged him to stomp to the front door and bang on it, demanding the reason why. But he didn't, and resorted to the other alternative: brood under the pouring rain, contemplating to just leave.

At that very moment, though, he could hear a faint sound of the window upstairs sliding open, and someone stepping onto the balcony. And sure enough, he saw the shock of thick, snowy hair peeking above the railings against the murky sky, its shine looking duller than it usually had been under the bright sunlight of the West District—_it's him._

And the grey-eyed boy hated to say that his heart rate had sped up that very instant.

He wasn't surprised when he heard a loud yell from above, one not dissimilar to what his ears remembered from six years ago. It felt like it was calling him, a lonely and rebellious cry, which sort of mirrored his own feelings, too.

He shut his eyes and snorted—no, almost laughed—when he realized how similar this very situation was to the one six years ago. Him, standing under the rain, waiting for a miracle to save his life; _him_, letting out a clamorous roar, as if struggling to break free from an invisible cage forcing him down.

What happened _after_, however, was totally inconsistent to what had happened six years earlier.

He didn't realise if he had snorted that loudly even against the sound of the downpour—it must had been, considering the reaction it earned—and barely three seconds later, he was staring at not just the shock of white hair, but _Shion_, plunging towards the ground without any safety gears right out of the balcony.

_It's freaking five metres!_

"What th—" He didn't think; he just shot over to where that stupid idiot would be landing, which as it turned out—was him.

He felt air swooshing out of his lungs with an 'ooof!' and at the same time, pain on his torso, as well as something choking his neck.

But out of all, he could feel warmth. Warmth of a human being, blanketing him from the coldness of the storm.

He tried to say something, _anything_: how painful his back slammed onto the wet ground behind him; how he feet had slipped when he caught the other boy which resulted in their currently lying on the muddy earth instead of vertically standing on it; how dangerous—and _idiotic_—jumping from the balcony on the_ second floor_ was; and how he had thought that this stupid idiot had been a genius, but maybe he wasn't, after all, for doing said reckless action.

But nothing was said out loud. He couldn't—the arms locked around his neck, the head buried on the crook of his left shoulder, the body on his, shaking from he wasn't sure what, the other boy's entire figure that didn't seem to want to let him go—his mouth was entirely clamped shut.

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><p><strong>AN: Have you guys ever read Maximum Ride by James Patterson? Whenever I read this fic, I remind myself of that book, because of the way I end each chapter. Do I annoy some people? Hahaha I'm sorry if I do!**

**Next chapter, okay? I've been waiting for it, too, but tbh I'm not sure how I should write it out! I have several versions in my head, but I've yet to settle with one… Like, I can't choose one out of the many **_**ways **_**they'll reunite, what they'll say to each other, etc etc. Anyway, please look forward to it! I hope I'll do a **_**passable **_**job haha in the mean time, reviews please? And thank you so much for reading! :D**

**0312 iluvafjk**


	7. Hey, you

**A/N: Hello! Okay, this is it. I hope I don't disappoint! And if I do, please read the A/N at the end of the story! So, here goes…**

**Disclaimer: NO.6 is Asano Atsuko's.**

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><p>7. Hey, you.<p>

To a third person, the scene would look almost comical. Two guys sprawled on the muddy ground, one at the bottom lying spread-eagle, seemingly crushed—as well as choked—by the white-haired boy on top, shock evident in his eyes.

Okay, not only shock.

Bewilderment. Anxiety. A part of it, happiness. But also, fear.

Nezumi shut his eyes in an attempt to calm himself down. His heart was still beating violently in the ribcages—he was pretty sure the other boy would have noticed that fact by now, with how their bodies were pressed together under the unrelenting downpour. He brought one arm around Shion's body and touched his back—he was still trembling, and Nezumi still had no idea why.

He cleared his throat. "Uhh—"

But before he could continue, he heard Shion's low murmur—it was soft, but Nezumi could clearly hear it—escaping his lips, which was right next to Nezumi's left ear.

"You're real, right?"

"Huh?"

Shion slowly peeled his arms off around Nezumi's neck, and lifted his body slightly—supported by his elbows on either sides of Nezumi's head, such that their bodies were still in contact with each other, but now his blood-red eyes were staring right into brilliantly ash-coloured ones. For the first time that evening—and in two years, they took in the full sight of each other.

_Oh gosh, I missed him so much._

Shion swallowed, and he felt wetness in his eyes—_must be the rain_—before repeating, "You're real… right?"

To be honest, Nezumi had come up with numerous scenarios of their reunion—hey, two years was more than enough to conjure a variety of situations for this scene alone. Nevertheless, nothing came close to _this._

_He never changes, eh?_

This time, Nezumi's body shook. He was laughing.

Confusion filled Shion's eyes and slightly annoyed, he pulled back and sat on Nezumi's thighs. "What's so funny?"

Nezumi was still laughing as he propped himself onto both elbows, looking up at Shion, "Nothing."

Shion pouted, "You promised you won't hide anything from me."

That stopped Nezumi's laughter. He sat up straighter, one hand on the ground to support himself, and brought the other hand to Shion's snowy hair. He snorted, "You're still an airhead, aren't you?"

"What do you mean?" Shion stared at Nezumi's smiling face, just inches away from his own.

Nezumi just chuckled, shaking his head slightly before bringing himself forward and resting his forehead on the crook of Shion's shoulder, arms encircling the other's skinny waist.

"Haven't you been eating at all?"

Shion didn't answer. He just returned the gesture, hugging Nezumi tightly.

After some time, Shion spoke up, "You aren't going anywhere, anymore." It wasn't a plea; it was a statement, almost a declaration.

Nezumi smirked against Shion's shirt, his head still buried on Shion's neck. "That didn't answer my question," his muffled reply was almost unheard against the sound of the rain still whipping loudly around them.

Shion tightened his hold on the other boy, not minding the prior statement. "I'm not letting you go anymore."

Once again Nezumi snorted—or sighed, as relief washed over his entire frame, though he didn't show it—and he lifted his head, giving the side of Shion's neck a light kiss, "Fine by me."

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><p><strong>AN: To be honest, this version of their reunion is a spontaneous one I came up with as I typed this chapter. I feel that this is the most appropriate(?) way of the two to reunite, though I'm not sure you guys would think so. I **_**might**_** publish other versions I've thought of in the future, as a one-shot maybe? But I guess this one will do, for now.**

**Just a reminder, by the way, **_**this fic isn't ending yet! **_**Not in the near future, too hahaha I've a lotttt of stuff to write about these two boys here 3 Please look forward to the next chapters! And as always, reviews would be greatly appreciated :)**

**0312 iluvafjk**


	8. The Mother, I

**A/N: Thank you so much for everyone who've read and reviewed this fic so far! Here's a short update, I hope you guys'll like it as much as the previous chapters :)**

**Disclaimer: NO.6 isn't mine.**

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><p>8. The Mother, I<p>

Karan had heard Shion's yell, despite the roaring thunder and downpour.

She had known that Shion would be standing under the rain for some time after the yell, just like usual. She had let him.

What she hadn't expected, was, a figure of a boy—man? He seemed like he was around Shion's age, or slightly older—standing outside some distance away outside the window of from her bedroom, which was located right below Shion's.

Even drenched wet, he looked extraordinarily attractive. Under the murky sky and the curtain of raindrops, she couldn't really determine what colour his hair was—it was almost black, but not exactly; was it dark grey? Dark blue? Dark brown?—but she could distinctly notice how brilliantly grey his eyes were. They were so beautiful, almost pearl-like.

Any other person, she would have been screaming 'burglar!' or at least alert her beloved son of this stranger's presence. However, at the sight of the boy beyond the window, something tugged at her mind. She felt like he was there for a _reason_.

Also, she vaguely remembered that face from six years ago...

That kid.

That escaped criminal from the Correctional Facility in the news six years ago. The one Shion had protected, causing their being banished from this very house to the Lost Town.

Nezumi.

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><p>Karan was a sensible woman, and a loving mother. She was also proud to deem herself as one who understands her son better than he thought she would.<p>

After she had taken a glimpse of the boy outside her window, as well as knowing the fact that her boy was upstairs on the balcony, she did what she thought was going to happen next.

She cooked dinner.

For three.

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><p><strong>0312 iluvafjk<strong>


	9. The Mother, II

**A/N: NO.6 is not mine. I wish it was.**

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><p>9. The Mother, II<p>

And sure it happened.

Just as she had finished preparing the meal—she thought of cherry pie, but something else would be better, right, since he had tasted that one?—the door to the dining room slid open. Her snowy-haired son emerged, looking genuinely the happiest than she had ever seen him the past two years, holding securely the wrist of the grey-eyed boy—whom she could see as a very much confident person, but at the moment looking slightly anxious, as well as extremely relieved, for reasons Karan wasn't sure what.

Shion shyly spoke up, "Mom. This is Nezumi."

The tinge of pink on his cheeks was reminder enough of the past days when she would ask her son who this Nezumi person was, and Karan was very, very much glad that this day would finally come.

Carrying the pot of warm cream soup over to the table, she beamed at the two boys, "Dinner's ready."

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><p><strong>AN: Hey guys, hope you like the chapters from Karan's POV! :)**

**Also, thanks for reading and reviews would be greatly appreciated! **

**0312 iluvafjk**


	10. The Night

**A/N: Hi, long time no update. Anyway, enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: NO.6 is Ms Asano Atsuko's.**

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><p>10. The Night<p>

"Did your room shrink or something?"

Shion rolled his eyes at that, and didn't even bother to face the other boy as he replied, "You've grown since then, Nezumi, of course it looks smaller to you now. I'm turning off the lights."

The room was suddenly bathed in darkness, and Shion found his way up to his double bed, on which Nezumi was sprawling on his stomach, lying on the outer side of the bed.

Shion sighed and climbed from the foot of the mattress before lying down beside Nezumi.

"It's kind of cramped," Shion heard Nezumi mumble, his voice slightly muffled with his face buried into the bed sheet.

"Beggars can't be choosers."

Nezumi raised, rolling onto his side to stare down at Shion, and placed one hand on his left cheek, the other on his hips, elbow digging into the mattress, "Oh, pardon me, Your Majesty, but may I ask who _begged_ me to stay?"

Shion glanced at Nezumi, "I didn't beg."

"Oh, yes, you did."

"No, I didn't."

Nezumi threw himself onto his back—making the two boys bounce slightly off the bed in the process—folding his arms behind his head, before clicking his tongue, "I see that you didn't learn not to piss me off in the two years, huh."

"You _did _piss me off first."

Nezumi indignantly re-planted his elbow onto the bed and faced Shion at that, "I didn't even do anything!"

Shion promptly turned his body, showing his back to the grudging dark-haired boy.

Upon receiving no reply, Nezumi heaved an explosive sigh and went back to lying on his back, grunting about how bad airheads were for his health and blood pressure level.

Silence filled the room, save for the low, almost inaudible hum of the air conditioning system.

Nezumi couldn't help but think how _natural_ it was for the two of them to lapse into their past routine. Well, of course this wasn't the West District anymore, but to have dinner together—this time, with Karan, too, but she had been so friendly it hadn't felt awkward at all during the meal earlier—and sleeping in the same room, even to bicker like how they had used to do all the time; it felt really damn nice.

Assuming that Shion had fallen asleep, Nezumi turned his body such that his back faced Shion's, and was about to snooze off when he felt movement from behind. He felt the fabric at the back of his shirt being pulled slightly, and then warmth faintly hitting his back.

Then he heard Shion's voice mumbling, "Good night, Nezumi."

Nezumi snorted with a small smile, and reached back to take Shion's hand—which was weakly grabbing onto his shirt—over his body, and interlaced their fingers in front of his chest. Shion moved his body forward such that his chest was touching Nezumi's back, the white-haired boy hugging the other tightly to himself.

With a small smile, Nezumi sighed and shut his eyes, "Good night, Shion."

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><p><strong>AN: There's that. I don't think I did a good job… :/ But anyway I still hope you guys enjoyed it? The next update shouldn't be as long as this one (I hope?).**

**As always, thank you so much for everyone who reads and has been reading this fic! Really appreciate you guys :)**

****0512 **iluvafjk**


	11. The Morning

**Disclaimer: NO.6 is not mine.**

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><p>11. The Morning<p>

I watched Nezumi smoothly bringing the spoonful of soup up to his lips—how he could make such characterless movement seem so graceful was beyond me—before speaking up, "What are you gonna do today?"

He cocked his head at me as he swallowed the consommé, "Maybe to the theatre."

"Oh, what for?" I really didn't expect him to answer me with something concrete—'nothing' or 'none of your business' was more like it. The fact that he gave me a proper reply made me, well, happy.

"None of your business."

I scowled.

That was when my mother stepped into the dining room, her hair damp. She'd cooked us breakfast—Nezumi had insisted that he cooked, but she had waved him away from the kitchen and told him to explore the house some more instead—and had gone to shower afterwards.

Did I mention that though we didn't stay in our house in Lost Town, we still kept it? My mother insisted that she wanted to keep doing her bakery business and our house in Chronos was kind of secluded and private as compared to the other one, which was located in a neighbourhood with streets busy with people. It meant better business, and admittedly, she'd gotten herself more than a few loyal customers around the area, whom she'd be sad to lose. So she would leave the house to her bakery very early in the morning and start baking her bread and cakes together with two other workers she had employed to help her run the shop.

I had to say, I was glad that my mother found happiness in doing what she liked for the people she liked—like that girl Lili who frequented her shop almost every single day, I heard that mom had even started teaching her to bake after she finished her lessons at school. After what had happened two and a half years ago—no, after the time when we were banished to the Lost Town, I really wasn't sure if my mom had been fine with everything. I knew that she had always been a strong woman, but I hadn't been there when I had been off in the West Block. I hadn't been there to see how she had coped. But seeing how happy she was now, I'd like it to be a reward for what she had gone through in those hard 4 years. She really deserved this happiness.

Today, unusually, she was still at home to see me go off to university. Usually, I would be the one seeing her off to the bakery, but this morning she had called her employees to inform that she would be coming in late. I know it was because of the addition to our house members. She was definitely _dying _to get to know more about him, if the way she had kept us at the dining table during dinner last night was any indication.

Nezumi didn't seem to mind her attention. If I hadn't known better, I would deem his calling my mom 'Shion mama' as _flirting_—and what with my mom actually _giggling _and told him to call her by her name instead.

I guess his charm with women—or people, if he wanted to—still hadn't faded, or worse, gotten stronger.

"Shion, shouldn't you be leaving for school soon?" mom inquired, glancing at the digital clock on the wall.

"Yeah," I stood up from my seat and brought my plate and cutleries to the dishwasher, followed by Nezumi right behind me, doing the same.

He was on my tail as I walked to the front door, grabbing my bag from the table and getting my shoes on.

"I'll walk you to school," he said. "I wanna see how it looks like."

_Oh? _I thought, _So he really didn't spy on me in those 2 years?_

"Okay," I said, kinda pleased that we get to talk more during the journey.

I kissed my mom goodbye—Nezumi smiling oh-so-charmingly to her and I could swear I saw _pink_ on my mom's cheeks—before stepping out of the house into the morning sunlight, my dark-haired friend right on my heels.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry if this chapter ends rather awkwardly/abruptly! I don't like to have very long chapters for this fic and I'd rather save the next events for the next chapter(s?). So I decided to cut it there and write the rest in a new chapter.**

**Anyway, I hope you still like this one! Didn't really mean to elaborate many things on Karan, but what's done's done.**

**Looking forward to your reviews! Thank you so much to everyone who's subscribed to this fic, and also to those reading this fic at all hahaha and BIG thank yous to reviewers! I love getting inputs about my writing, be it the content or my writing style on its own :)**

**Please look forward to the next chapters! They should be up soon.**

**0512 iluvafjk**


	12. Call me, maybe?

**Disclaimer: NO.6 isn't mine.**

* * *

><p>12. Call me, maybe?<p>

It was a pleasant morning, the air cool and the sun warmly shining with just a hint of clouds shading here and there, not enough to really shelter the ground from the sunlight.

We were walking leisurely to my university, Nezumi yawned as he strolled alongside me, his arms folded behind his head.

"Nezumi," I started, "Where do you live?"

He took a glance at me before answering, "The West Block."

That startled me.

"You didn't!"

Nezumi's reply explained why I denied his answer—because of course I would go back to his house to find him, that small underground dwelling we shared for some months before the ambush to the Correctional Facility, "I moved."

The lack of surprise in his expression and voice suggested that he _had known _that I had gone to that old house to search for him.

"Oh."

He didn't say anything after that, and I kept my mouth shut as well. I wanted to ask him _a lot _of things, but I guess it could wait. We had plenty of time for chit-chatting now that he was here.

But I still had my doubts. I didn't voice that out either.

We reached my university not long after, Nezumi commenting about how huge it was and how I must have been one of the 'model students' which of course I denied. He was just making fun of me.

He was about to leave when I grabbed his wrist and looked into his brilliant grey eyes, "I'll see you later." It was as if I said that to assure myself that no, he wouldn't be going anywhere anymore. For real.

He smirked, "I've no choice, since you _begged_."

"I didn't," I frowned. I suddenly thought of something and before he could open his mouth to say his retort, I hastily reached into my pocket and whipped out my cell phone, "You have a phone, right?"

That caught him in surprise, though he grunted an affirmative.

"Give me your phone," I demanded.

He didn't seem to like what I was about to do, but grudgingly still took it out of his pants pocket and handed me the device. I keyed in my phone number and dialed it, cutting it when I feel my phone vibrating in my hand and saved my number into his phone before I returned it to him.

I felt a smile on my face as I waved a goodbye to Nezumi, which he returned rather shyly?—or was that because of the passing-by groups and pairs of girls who evidently showed interest in him, with all the whispering and giggling?—and turned to head to the university building.

I looked down on my phone screen and gazed upon the numbers and the name above it as I walked away. I really hope my phone battery would last long enough until my classes end today.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm not really sure if they use cell phones in the NO.6 world or even phone numbers (like how Japanese use e-mail addresses instead of phone numbers?), but I recall Safu calling Shion's phone in the manga/novel (in the anime it was some hologram thingy coming out of their wristbands, but I don't like that idea so I shall stick with cell phones), so that's how things are gonna be in this fic.**

**I'm planning on doing a different style for the next chapter, and I hope I can pull it off well. Let's see how it goes. **

**Once again thanks for reading! Reviews will be greatly appreciated :)**

**0612 iluvafjk**


	13. Sent

**A/N: No.6 ****is owned by Ms Asano Atsuko.**

* * *

><p>13. <em>Sent<em>

_From: Shion  
><em>_10.34  
><em>_Hey. Where are you?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_10.40  
><em>_In the theatre. Aren't you in class now?_

_From: Shion  
><em>_10.42  
><em>_No, it's break time now. What are you doing in the theatre?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_11.00  
><em>_Nothing that should be of Your Highness' awareness. And focus on your class, please, we don't want our honour student to get scolded for texting in class, now, do we?_

_From: Shion  
><em>_11.03  
><em>_Stop it with the honour student talk, I'm not one. Are you auditioning for a play or something_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_12.10  
><em>_Oh, is the honour student playing humble, now? Yes, I am._

_From: Shion  
><em>_12.14  
><em>_Did you just finish your audition? You didn't reply for a while just now_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_12.30  
><em>_Yes. Do you not have class? What do you do in university?_

_From: Shion  
><em>_12.36  
><em>_I__ attend lectures and go for tutorial classes, and sometimes do laboratory work. And other stuff I know you're not interested in. How was the audition?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_12.41  
><em>_Stuff, huh… If I didn't know you better I would've made some joke about it. It was okay._

_From: Shion  
><em>_12.44  
><em>_Huh what are you talking about? Did you get the part? What's the part about?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_12.56  
><em>_Of course I got the part._

_From: Shion  
><em>_13.58  
><em>_Sorry I was in the lab just now. Congrats, what's the part about?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_14.05  
><em>_If you cut open my friends I'm going to make you sorry for it._

_From: Shion  
><em>_14.10  
><em>_We didn't cut open anything in the lab, Nezumi. I'm doing ecology, remember? Oh, but maybe you don't. Where are you now?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_14.20  
><em>_Eh, I might remember something like it. Somewhere._

_From: Shion  
><em>_14.21  
><em>_Hey, bring me to your house._

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_14.37  
><em>_Why should I?_

_From: Shion  
><em>_14.41  
><em>_Because I want to visit your house. Can we go later? Do you have a roomate?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_14.44  
><em>_*roommate. I didn't say you could come. DO YOU SERIOUSLY NOT HAVE CLASS OR SOMETHING? WHAT THE HELL DO YOU DO IN UNIVERSITY?_

_From: Shion  
><em>_14.52  
><em>_If I tell you what I do in university, will you take me to your house?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_14.56  
><em>_Do you know that you're insufferable?_

_From: Shion  
><em>_15.01  
><em>_C'mon, bring me to your house. Please? By the way my classes finish at 430_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_15.10  
><em>_I fear that my modest dwelling place would be inadequate to welcome Your Highness. Are you asking me to pick you up?_

_From: Shion  
><em>_15.18  
><em>_Well yes. You're not busy right?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_15.23  
><em>_If Your Highness wishes so, I have no choice but to answer it._

_From: Shion  
><em>_15.28  
><em>_Are you drunk or something?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_15.38  
><em>_Are you an idiot or something?_

_From: Shion  
><em>_15.40  
><em>_Whatever. Have you had lunch?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_15.52  
><em>_Macbeth soup. Mmm._

_From: Shion  
><em>_15.59  
><em>_Hey I made that for my mom and she liked it!_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_16.05  
><em>_One does not simply not like the Macbeth soup._

_From: Shion  
><em>_16.09  
><em>_Maybe she'll like it better if you made it, yours always taste better than mine. Where are you now?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_16.13  
><em>_What if I tell you I'm doing my business?_

_From: Shion  
><em>_16.16  
><em>_What business?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_16.23  
><em>_It means I'm in the toilet, you idiot. Do you not watch the TV?_

_From: Shion  
><em>_16.31  
><em>_I do, sometimes. I'm off the class! Where are you?_

_From: Nezumi  
><em>_16.33  
><em>_I see you._

* * *

><p><strong>0712 iluvafjk<strong>


	14. The Visit

**Disclaimer: NO.6 is not mine.**

* * *

><p>14. The Visit<p>

"Shion, shut up for a while." Nezumi was pinching the bridge of his nose, and he looked like he had just read a real badly-written novel—for eight hours straight.

Shion's opened mouth clicked as it was closed, the owner looking slightly indignant with his eyebrows taut together. "But—"

Nezumi's index finger was on his lips in a flash, brilliant grey eyes squinting sharply at Shion's rounded face. "Not. A single. Word."

"But Nezumi—"

Nezumi threw both his arms in the air—too dramatically, in Shion's opinion—and stalked ahead, leaving Shion behind, who still had this apprehensive expression etched on his face.

Shion had to half-run to keep up with Nezumi's pace, arms swinging hurriedly beside his body. "Nezumi?"

The person in question didn't say anything but to stare onward, hands shoved deep into the pants pocket.

Shion huffed, keeping a one-step distance behind Nezumi and just followed him, finally deciding to keep quiet.

Though he still felt that he didn't do anything wrong for asking where they were going that many times. It was Nezumi's fault for not answering him.

After they had rejoined in front of Shion's university after his lessons had ended, Nezumi had turned on his heel and proceeded to head out of the university compound without any words, which finally led to their current state of affair.

Nezumi had taken a route—to wherever, since Shion had honestly _no idea_ where they were going—that Shion didn't recognize at all, to the outskirts of Chronos, into the Lost Town and almost reaching the West Block. He doubted that Nezumi was bringing him to his house, despite his plea, because Nezumi was mean like that. He wouldn't present Shion with such luxury on the second day of his return, no.

He also knew that this wasn't the direction to Inukashi's place, because Shion had been to Inukashi's several times, now, and he had the surrounding area in his route committed to memory, thus he would know if Nezumi was bringing him to her place.

It took approximately ten more minutes of walking in silence before Nezumi turned right at a narrow alley, between rows of shop-cum-houses—similar to Karan's bakery—and stopped in front of one of them, a particularly compact one, looking as if it was sandwiched between the larger shops on its sides. The area was pretty dark, with one or two eerily flickering, dim streetlights at one stretch of road and Shion could see nobody strolling about the streets.

He frowned.

After the incident two years ago, reconstruction had been going on at various parts of No.6, not only the main city but also the Lost Town as well as the surrounding Blocks. Sure, it wasn't progressing as quickly as what had been projected, but there was definite improvement in the living condition at the Blocks, especially, from what Shion had been observing from his intermittent visits to Inukashi's. Nonetheless, this section seemed what he could only classify as _neglected_, or, he really hoped, that it had yet to receive its turn in the upgrading process.

Shion made a mental note to remind himself to write in a report to the reconstruction committee—which wouldn't be the first time—later when they get back home.

Nezumi pressed the buzzer at the door's right and waited. There was a faint scuffling sound beyond the door and the curtain behind the glass windows shifted slightly. Seconds later, it seemed like whoever was checking his guests was satisfied, and the front door sprung open.

And Shion's waist felt two similar impacts that Nezumi had to grip his arm so prevent him from toppling backwards.

"You finally brought him here!"

"Shion!"

"I missed you!"

"I missed you too!"

It took Shion no time to recover from the bombardment of excitement and wrap his arms around the two kids who were clinging to him like there was no tomorrow. He himself felt a big smile stretched across his face, and turned to Nezumi, grinning wide like an idiot.

"Nezumi." There was a mix of disbelief, gratitude and eagerness in the name.

The owner, on the other hand, looked bored, examining his nails, and just shrugged. "They kept pestering me."

Shion kept his gaze on Nezumi for one more second, still smiling, before pulling back from the two, half squatting down and put one hand on Rico's shoulder, and another on Kalan's.

"Hey, guys. I missed you too."

The familiar, unchanging beams that greeted him once again reminded him why he would never regret having spent a part of his life in the West Block. And that it was coming back to him; he could ask for no better present than this.

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><p><strong><strong>0812 iluvafjk<strong>**


	15. The Walk

15. The Walk

It was easy bringing Shion to the kids' place, but it sure wasn't easy to get him _out_ of there.

After what seemed like forever, we finally managed to get the heck out of the cramped flat – before of course making promises to those children about returning there to play again some time. I meant, Shion made the promise, and I grunted my non-committal non-approval to it.

It was cold by the time we left and the September night wind was strong enough to knock down a skinny girl – like Shion, for example. I zipped up my jacket and tightened the shawl around my neck.

"Nezumi? Are you cold?"

"No."

I could _feel_ Shion rolling his eyes as he started to unbutton his own jacket. He said, "Here, have mine. I'm not cold."

I snorted, "You need that extra coat weight, Shion, I don't want to have to chase for your body flapped away by the breeze."

Shion seemed to be insulted because he huffedly re-buttoned his coat – I noticed his trembling hands as he did that – and shoved against my side with his shoulder.

"What was that for? Could Your Highness be unhappy about something?"

"Bring me to your house."

"No."

"Why?"

"It does not welcome you."

"I've never even met it."

"Well you'll never."

"But I miss the books."

"What books."

Shion gasped loudly. "You didn't. Nezumi, tell me that you still have all those books!"

I bit the insides of my cheek to keep from smirking and looked straight ahead coolly.

"Nezumi! The Shakespeare, Woolf, Oscar Wilde?!"

"I see Your Highness has learnt several English names. What a remarkable achievement."

Shion looked positively terrified now, eyes wide and hands clutching at the front of his coat. I bit my inner cheeks harder.

I saw Shion's legs kind of wobble and his mouth hanging open without producing any sound, and clicked my tongue. "Yes, they are rotting away and smelling like mould in my underground cave, waiting until your unblemished hands touch them again for the ten thousandth time. Sheesh."

Shion's sudden beam annoyed me more than it had used to. My stomach turned with something a little different from annoyance then.

"Do you not even have those in No. 6 now? I thought the city has lifted its stupid ban on classical literature and arts. Are they still backwards until now?"

"They did. More and more book shops and libraries are popping up. Sometimes I do part-time librarian jobs, they are really fun."

"You mean you get paid for reading books while ignoring anyone who talks to you. Like a true librarian."

Shion's cheeks definitely reddened at that. Indignantly he defended himself, "I- I…!" but he seemed to have found zero defense, so crestfallenly he continued, "… well, yes. I was reprimanded that last time for not being a good assistance to the customers… Hey, don't laugh!"

I ended my snicker with a snort. We have left the quieter part of the town and just reached the outskirts of the privileged area of Chronos. The night lights brightly shone on the pavement and pristinely-kept roadside plants. It was rather quiet but lively, particularly outside the theatre that must have just finished a show.

"That reminds me, Nezumi, which theatre did you go to earlier today when I was at school?" Shion was staring at the theatre, reading the titles on the show posters put up on the exterior walls of the building. He turned to look at me, meeting my gazing eyes.

I shifted my stare. "Nowhere."

Shion sounded legitimately irritated right then, "Are you ever going to tell me _anything_, Nezumi?"

"Probably."

"Or are you going to ask me anything about _my_ life? Or are you telling me you've been spying on me _again_ all this while."

I turned to him, and apparently he was getting better than before at meeting my sharp glare. "Aren't you a confident brat."

"As are you."

I narrowed my eyes threateningly, which he responded with as much boldness as empty-headedness. I surely made the wrong choice to reappear in front of him two days ago.

"Just…" he quietly took a hold of the sleeve of my jacket, "promise me you will tell me everything. About you. About the past years. I want to … know. … about you."

I slowly let out a sigh. Lifting up my arm, I gave his fluffy white hair a quick ruffle. "Fine."

His face broke into a small, sweet smile, and he joined his hands behind his back contentedly. "Ah! I forgot to let mother know that we didn't have dinner at home!" He hastily flipped out his phone, freaked out when he saw several missed calls from Karan and hurriedly keyed in his home number.

I shoved my hands into the front pockets of my jacket, strolling comfortably next to Shion who was currently apologising to his mama about forgetting to call and it was all Nezumi's fault – clearly he needed to work on assigning blame accurately, thank God he wasn't anything close to the legal industry. It was a cold, pleasant evening, and I both feared and was excited about what kinds of days were to come.

I guess I could still convince Shion to ask his mama to heat up some of the dish she cooked for dinner.

His kick to my shin proved otherwise.

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><p><strong>0614 iluvafjk<strong>


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